Summary

  • Updates for Friday 30 September 2016

  • Councils urged to deal with 'nuisance' knotweed

  • Volunteers celebrate award for helping vulnerable mums

  • Saints take on Exeter at Franklins Gardens

  • Microbreweries in the county 'fantastic', says Conservative MP

  1. Our live coverage through the daypublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Helen Popham
    BBC Local Live

    That's the end of our rolling updates for today, but any breaking news will still appear here overnight.

    Stories we've covered today include:

    Don't forget to join us tomorrow from 08:00 when we'll have all the latest news, sport, weather and traffic updates for Northamptonshire.

    Have a great evening.

  2. Harborough getting full-time fire crewpublished at 17:42 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Amy Woodfield
    BBC Local Live

    The fire station in Market Harborough will be staffed full-time as of Wednesday.

    Fire engine

    There'll be a crew there between 07:00-18:00 seven days a week. Up until now there's just been an on-call crew.

  3. Weather: Rain clearing to leave a largely dry nightpublished at 17:28 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Julie Reinger
    BBC Look East weather

    Rain will clear north-eastwards this evening. The rest of the night will be largely dry and cloudy with a few clear intervals. We may get some further outbreaks of rain developing in the west of the eastern region later. 

    Minimum temperature 11C (52F).

    Weather map of the East of England

    Tomorrow, after some early brightness it’ll generally be cloudy and with some outbreaks of rain at times as temperatures peak at 20C (68F).

    Get your local forecast from BBC Weather.

  4. Warning over contaminated meat after sheep killedpublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Police are warning people and businesses in the county to be vigilant of suspicious sales of meat after sheep given drugs to treat worms were stolen. 

    Five sheep were stolen on two separate occasions from land near Cottingham, close to Corby. Five carcasses have been found and police say it was clear they were killed for their meat.

    The day before the animals were given Noromectin, which will cause sickness and diarrhoea. 

    Cottingham fieldsImage source, Google
  5. 'Operator? There's a bug in my curry!'published at 16:41 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Helen Popham
    BBC Local Live

    Northamptonshire Police has asked people to use 999 for the right reasons after getting a call about a bug in someone's curry.

    The force revealed the details as part of its  #WhoYouGoingToCall, external day on Twitter, looking at the calls it receives in its control room.

    Here's some more "emergencies" it's had to deal with today...

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    The force tweeted, external: "999 is for emergencies. Think before you dial it. Is there a life in danger, crime in progress? If not then ring us on 101."

  6. Rob Page: 'Important' for Cobblers to get back to winning wayspublished at 16:34 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    BBC Sport

    Following Northampton Town's 4-0 thumping of Southend on Saturday, manager Rob Page said it was "important" the club responded to the defeat the week before.

    After a goalless first half, Northampton scored three goals in 14 minutes at the start of the second to leave the visitors stunned.

    Northampton Town goal against SouthendImage source, BBC Sport

    Page said he was disappointed with the last Cobblers performance at Chesterfield, which ended a tremendous run of form for the side, adding ''it was important to put that right and scoring four and keeping a clean sheet and I think we've put that right.'' 

    Next up is a trip to Swindon tomorrow night.

  7. Today in Northamptonshirepublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

  8. Corby man found guilty of murderpublished at 14:35 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    A jury at Northampton Crown Court has found a Corby man guilty of murder after he assaulted a man at a fast food outlet in the town last year. 

    Ashley Palmer, 33, was originally charged with grievous bodily harm after 38-year old Bernard Farrell of Birmingham suffered serious head injuries in the assault at KFC on Oakley Road on 3 November.

    He was taken to University Hospital Coventry where he died 13 November.

    KFC, Oakley Road, CorbyImage source, Google

    This morning the jury found Palmer, of Moss Walk, Corby, guilty. 

    No date was set for sentencing as Judge Rupert Mayo wanted to give probation officers time to draw up reports on the defendant.

    He said: "There is only one sentence I can pass and it will have to be a life sentence".

  9. This afternoon's weatherpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    BBC Weather

    It's been raining in many parts of the county this lunchtime and there's more to come...

    The rest of the day will be mainly cloudy with some showers or longer spells of rain.

    The worst of the rain is likely to be in the west of the county, but some eastern areas could stay dry.

    Temperatures will reach a high of 15C (59F).

    Weather chartImage source, BBC Weather

    Here's the scene in Raunds this lunchtime sent in to BBC Weather Watchers by Willow.

    If you'd like to become a Weather Watcher, find out more here.

    Raunds
  10. Police investigate attempted abductionpublished at 13:53 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Helen Popham
    BBC Local Live

    Police are investigating an attempted abduction in Northampton. 

    Officers say a woman was walking down Birchfield Road East in Abington on Friday afternoon while listening to music in her headphones.

    Birchfield Road East NorthamptonImage source, Google

    A man in a red Volkswagen Polo then pulled over to ask for directions and grabbed the victim's right arm.

    She managed to pull away and run off.

    The suspect was white, aged in his mid-40s with an English accent. He also had messy brown hair. Anyone with information is asked to contact Northamptonshire Police, external.

  11. Ashley residents save 'George'published at 13:38 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Carroll Weston
    BBC Radio Northampton

    We've heard numerous stories of pubs closing down, but here's a tale of how residents secured the future of the last remaining pub in their village. 

    When an application was submitted last year to turn The George pub in Ashley, near Corby, into houses, the locals were horrified. 

    The George at Ashley
    Image caption,

    The George Pub: before and after the makeover

    After objecting to the plans, the proposal was turned down by Kettering Borough councillors. Six months on and the pub has reopened with a makeover and under new ownership. 

    Ashley resident Sosennah Every said: ''It's absolutely brilliant... it's something that everyone has really fought for, it's very exciting".

  12. 'Colossal' wasp nest found in atticpublished at 12:46 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    A "colossal" wasp nest the size of a "barrel" with a 1.4m tunnel attached is found in an attic.

    Read More
  13. Northampton Saints 15-20 Waspspublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Wasps make it four wins from four and go top of the Premiership with a 20-15 victory against Northampton.

    Read More
  14. Adrenaline rush for the next Olympicspublished at 12:34 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Helen Popham
    BBC Local Live

    Managers at Corby's indoor centre for skateboarding, Adrenaline Alley, are hoping to win funding to turn it into a UK training centre for Olympic athletes. 

    Skateboarding will be an Olympic sport at the next Games in Tokyo, and Adrenaline Alley claims to be Europe's biggest indoor urban skate park. 

    Adrenaline Alley in Corby

    Mandy Young from the centre, which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, said: "We have everything here for the training, we have got land here we can still develop on, so if we needed to put a purpose-built facility in for future Olympics, it's possible to do that". 

  15. Motorcyclist dies in crashpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Helen Popham
    BBC Local Live

    A motorcyclist has died following a collision near Daventry.

    The 49-year old man was riding his bike along Charwelton Road towards Preston Capes when it struck a car.

    He was airlifted to hospital in Coventry, where he died yesterday afternoon.

    The driver of the car, a 32-year-old man, was arrested at the scene.

    Charwelton RoadImage source, Google
  16. Strictly Come Dancing: Local lass Lesley waltzes to theme tunepublished at 12:11 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Helen Popham
    BBC Local Live

    The class of 2016 finally took to the floor in Strictly Come Dancing over the weekend.

    We saw Northampton actress Lesley Joseph dance a waltz with partner Anton du Beke to the theme tune of her comedy series, Birds of a Feather.

    Judge Darcey Bussell said she was "sophisticated and romantic". Craig Revel Horwood said his biggest concern was her posture, but added she had "delicious flow".

    If you missed local lass Lesley, watch her waltz now to 'What'll I do?'...

    Media caption,

    Lesley Joseph and Anton Du Beke dance the Waltz to 'What’ll I Do?'

    You can keep across all the dancing on the BBC Strictly website as the series continues.

  17. Man bailed after Pippa hacking arrestpublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    In case you missed it yesterday, a 35-year-old man arrested in Northamptonshire by police investigating claims that Pippa Middleton's iCloud account was hacked has been released on bail.

    He was arrested on Saturday evening on suspicion of an offence under the "Computer Misuse Act".

    Pictures of the Duchess of Cambridge and her children are reportedly among 3,000 images taken, according to Scotland Yard who say inquiries are continuing.

    Pippa Middleton and James Matthews at WimbledonImage source, PA
  18. Thirty Labour members in East join Lib Dems after Corbyn re-electionpublished at 11:39 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Simon Dedman
    BBC Essex political reporter

    Since Saturday, 30 Labour members have quit the party and joined the Liberal Democrats in the East of England, according to the Lib Dem's regional chairman.

    Labour / Lib Dems

    Stephen Robinson told me a number of people switched after Jeremy Corbyn was re-elected following his convincing win over rival Owen Smith.  

  19. Giant wasps' nest found in loftpublished at 11:18 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    David Keller
    BBC News

    My. Worst. Nightmare. 

    Giant wasps' nestImage source, Pest Professionals

    Just look at the size of it...

    Giant wasps' nestImage source, Pest Professionals

    It's even got an entry tunnel... (shudder)

    Giant wasps' nestImage source, Pest Professionals

    This colossal wasps' nest, home for up to 10,000 of the stinging insects, has been found in an attic near Corby, Northamptonshire.

    First reported on the Evening Telegraph website, external, a homeowner found the one-metre wide nest (3.2ft) in the loft while renovating his house, which had been empty for years.

    Peterborough pest controller Gary Wilkinson said "luckily" the wasps moved out about a year earlier.

    However, he said its size and long entry tunnel made for a "spectacular work of art". Phobia aside, he's right you know...

    Dead waspsImage source, Pest Professionals

    Meanwhile, in the past week there's been a 1,000% rise in the number of people searching Google to find out when wasps will die in the UK, after a reported rise in the insects this summer.

  20. Paralympic swimming champion returns to schoolpublished at 09:50 British Summer Time 26 September 2016

    Helen Popham
    BBC Local Live

    Northampton's Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Robinson (centre on lap) has retuned to school today for the first time since her triumph in Rio.

    There's just been a special assembly in her honour at Northampton High School, which we captured on Facebook Live, external.

    Ellie Robinson and school friends

    The 15-year-old took up swimming just four years ago.

    Helen Stringer, the school's headteacher, said everyone is very proud of Ellie, adding she "was so composed under such pressure.. she did it beautifully" in Rio.

    Ellie Robinson